Nerul by-election on Sunday, parties intensify campaign

NERUL: Top politicians and office-bearers of all parties are campaigning vigorously for the bypoll in ward 88 of Nerul, because every seat now matters in the city, where the political situation has become fluid.

The election is taking place because incumbent Nationalist Congress Party corporator Shashikala Maladi died in September last year.

The NCP has now fielded Shilpa Kamble as its candidate. Former minister Ganesh Naik himself, along with former MP Sanjeev Naik and mayor Sudhakar Sonawane, has addressed a public meeting for her campaign.

The party is also doing door-to-door campaigning. Corporator Suresh Shetty has been actively helping with the campaigns.

The Congress has once again fielded Nutan Raut, who had lost the last civic election from the ward.

The Congress, which had missed winning narrowly the last time, is determined to change the narrative. Congress city chief Dashrath Bhagat, former corporator Santosh Shetty and several office bearers are campaigning in the ward.

Santosh Shetty said, “Our candidate Raut is an educated candidate from a good family who has worked for years. People have seen my work for the past 30 years. They trust me, so we are confident they will support us.”

On the issues in the election, he said, “We will not make tall claims like 24x7 water, which NCP is promising. We will do work that is achievable, and ensure that the basic needs of the people are fulfilled.”

The Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded Saraswati Patil as the candidate.

Shiv Sena and BJP leaders too have held meetings in the ward and appealed for a change.

MLA Manda Mhatre too is interacting with the voters. She has been speaking of the decisions taken by the state government that have benefited the city residents.

Mhatre said, “We have resolved issues such as providing additional FSI for redevelopment of buildings in Navi Mumbai. These issues had been pending for years, and we tackled them within a year of our government assuming power.”